U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced that USDA is hosting a listening session for initial input on the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take …
DeSantis, Senators Seek Everglades Money
Gov. Ron DeSantis has joined U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott in urging President Donald Trump to include $200 million a year in the federal budget for the Everglades. In a letter released this week, the three Florida Republican leaders requested a commitment for construction funding. “The federal-state partnership to restore the Everglades is critical to protecting …
Survey Suggests Increased Cotton Plantings in 2019
U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 14.5 million cotton acres this spring, up 2.9 percent from 2018, according to the National Cotton Council’s (NCC) 38th annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey. Upland cotton intentions are 14.2 million acres, up 2.8 percent from 2018, while extra-long staple intentions of 264,000 acres represent a 6.3 percent increase. The survey results were announced …
Saving the Florida Scrub-Jay
The Florida scrub-jay is on the brink of extinction, as less than 10 percent remain due to development pushing them out of the only place they can survive: dense scrub oak and saw palmettos packed into the dry sandy hills of the Florida scrub. But a man known as “Mr. Scrub Jay” to friends and family, Fred Hunter, has dedicated …
Georgia Veteran Farmer Keeps Serving Others
Jon Jackson, a former Army Ranger, is furthering his post-military mission of service through agriculture in Milledgeville, Georgia. He’s worked with USDA and his local community to create Comfort Farms, the nation’s first Acute Veterans Crisis Agriculture Center and “a healing farm for veterans.” After years of service with the U.S. Army, Jackson returned home and like many veteran farmers, discovered he …
Alabama NRCS Employee Receives Award
An employee with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama was named the 2018 Jerry L. Johnson award winner. Jason Gardner received the award, which is given to an Alabama NRCS employee for “Excellence in Public Service through One’s Family, Employment, Profession and Community.” The nominated employee who exhibits the characteristics of Jerry Johnson’s spirit and concern for his family, …
USDA to Release Complete Set of Tables for Agricultural Projections to 2028
On Feb. 14, 2019 at 12 p.m. EST, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release the complete set of tables prepared for the upcoming USDA Agricultural Projections to 2028 report. The new tables will include projections for farm income, U.S. fruits, nuts, and vegetables supply and use, and global commodity trade. Tables containing long-term supply, use, and price projections …
Celebrating National FFA Week
Agriculture is part of our daily lives — from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. Next week, nearly 670,000 FFA members across the country will share the story of agriculture as part of National FFA Week. Whether it is through service projects or community gatherings, National FFA Week is a time for FFA members to raise awareness …
Beef Exports Remain High
While the November beef export report came out a month later than usual because of the government shutdown, it still showed good things for beef. U.S. beef exports continued on a record pace in November. However, pork exports trended lower year-over-year. Statistics from USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation show that beef exports totaled more than 112,000 …
USDA Releases Shutdown-delayed Reports
The Department of Agriculture’s backlog of reports delayed from the government shutdown overall provided a neutral outlook. USDA reported 2018 corn production at 14.4 billion bushels with a national average yield of 176 bushels per acre. Meanwhile, USDA says farmers harvested a record 4.5 billion bushels of soybeans, up three percent from last year, with a national average yield of …